Process and apparatus for producing asphalt particles



July 2, 1935. J. s. DOWNARD PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING ASPHALT PARTICLES Filed June 27, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 d; cud, fidmanzlsfrafrc'w WITNESS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 2, 1935. J. 5. DOWNARD PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING ASPHALT PARTICLES Filed June 2'7, 1933 nwmw MD a WW WHN c127 I ORNEYS III,

fivenior s 6- flow/ward deceased Min/Kl, Wwz'nzlsbnf BY M40 W h ATT Patented July 2, 1935 PATENT OFFICE PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR PRO- DUCING ASPHALT PARTICLES M James Shelby Downard, deceased, late of Fort Thomas, Ky., by Naomi W. Downard, administratrix, Fort Thomas, Ky.

Application June 2'7, 1933, SerialNo. 677,946

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a process and apparatus for producing asphalt particles.

An object of the invention is the provision of a process for producing asphalt particles which when stored en masse will remain in a divided state so that the particles may be handledat a later date and employed as one of the ingredients 3f 51 bituminous composition for preparing road- Another object of the invention is the process for preparing particles of asphalt in which melted asphalt is divided and then treated with a liquid as, for instance, water and moved over an expanded surface to maintain the divided asphalt in a separated condition after which the divided asphalt is dropped into a body of the liquid so that the asphalt will float upon the liquid as a spongy mass, the spongy mass being forced or expressed through restricted passages after which the asphalt is cut off into particles under water, the water contained in the spongy mass being separated from the asphalt when the spongy mass is being expressed through the restricted passages.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus for preparing asphalt particles which will remain in a divided state when stored in which liquid melted asphalt is treated to form an extremely soft plastic, the plastic asphalt being expressed through passages of re stricted diameter with the expressed asphalt being cut ofi into particles under a liquid.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus for producing small particles of asphalt which will remain in a state of division during storage, the apparatus includinginstrumentalities for forming strings of asphalt, for applying a liquid to the strings, a tank filled with a liquid to receive the liquid-treated asphalt where the asphalt forms a spongy mass, a press being employed to express the spongy mass through small perforations to remove the liquid from the spongy mass, a knife being employed for cutting off the asphalt as it is expressed to provide particles whose surfaces are of such a character that the asphalt particles will not coalesce during storage.

This invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description, in View of the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification; nevertheless, it is to be understood that the invention is not confined to the disclosure, being susceptible of such changes and modifications which shall define no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a vertical section of a portion of the arrangement for producing asphalt particles,

and 6 Figure 1 is a vertical section showing a continuation of the arrangement for producing asphalt particles. 1

Referring more particularly to the drawings, l designates a still for melting asphalt in which a stirrer or rabble arm is employed for maintaining the melted asphalt in a state of agitation. A discharge pipe H is in open communication at I2 with the still in and this pipe conducts the melted asphalt to a' container I 3. The pipe is provided with a discharge outlet 14 and the flow of asphalt through the pipe is controlled by means of a valve I 5.

The container l3 has its upper end open, as shown at it, below the spout 14 of the pipe II. The bottom I! of the container I3 is provided with a plurality of perforations l8 through which the melted asphalt is adapted to fiow for dividing the asphalt into strings which fall by gravity onto a conically-shaped surface IS.

The member I9 is located at the upper end of a pipe 20 and the open end of the pipe, as shown at 2i, is located at the apex of the conicallyshaped member I9 in order that a liquid may be forced from the. open end of the pipe and run downwardly over the expanded surface of the member IS. The asphalt which has been divided by the perforations it passes downwardly upon the surface coming in contact with the liquid flowing from the outer end of the pipe 20 and this asphalt drops downwardly and leaves the lower free edge 22 of the member IS.

A pump 23 is located within a tank 24 which contains a liquid bath which may be water or a chemical solution or a liquid containing materials in suspension. This pump is driven by means of a shaft 25 which extends beyond the side walls of the tank 24.

A coil 30 is located within the tank 25 adjacent the bottom and is provided with an inlet pipe 3| and an outlet pipe 32. The coil 30 may have cold or hot water running therethrough and is adapted at all times to maintain a uniform temperature of the liquid in the tank 24. t The temperature of the liquid, of course, depends upon the type of asphalt which has been melted in the still 10. It is to be borne in mind that the temperature of the liquid in the tank 24 is an important feature of the process since the temperature is a controlling factor of the speed and facility by which the product is produced.

A screw 32 is located at the bottom of the tank 24 and has right and'left hand threads so that any deposits which fall to the bottom of the tank will be carried towards the center of the tank and be discharged through the pipe 33. The shaft 34 of the screw 32 is driven by means of a chain 35 which extends downwardly from a sprocket on a shaft 36 located adjacent the tor of the tank 24.

A conveyor, as shown at 40, is driven by sprockets 4| secured to a shaft 42. The shaft 42 is driven in any approved manner and this shaft has a gear 43 attached thereto which in turn drives a gear 44 secured to the shaft 36.

Since the spongy mass will float on top of the liquid in the tank 24, the lower portion of the conveyor 40 will pick up the spongy mass and move it along until it is delivered upon a chute 45. This chute extends beyond the tank 24 and terminates adjacent the open end of a conically shaped casing 46. It will be noted that the conveyor 48 is trained over a sprocket or sprockets 41. These sprockets are mounted upon a shaft 48. The sprockets 41 and shaft 48 are located adjacent the end 46 of the chute 45.

A spiral press, generally designated by the numeral 50, is located within the casing 46 and extends downwardly into a cylindrical continuation of the casing 46.

This cylindrical member 5| is embraced by a water jacket 52 through which fluid is circulated by means of the pipes 53 and 54 which are connected with a suitable source of liquid which is maintained in a state of circulation during the operation of the press 50. The temperature, of course, of liquid injthe jacket 52 depends upon the type of material employed and also the temperature necessary to facilitate the expressing of the spongy asphalt through a screen 55 located at the bottom of the cylindrical member 5|.

A knife 56 located in close association with the screen 55 is disposed within a tank 51 filled with a liquid which may be water, a chemical solution, or a solution having matter maintained in suspension within the liquid. This knife is revolved at a definite speed across the screen in order to cut off particles of a definite size and it will be appreciated that the size of the particles will depend upon the type of asphalt employed and will be controlled by the area of the perforations in the screen 55 and the speed of revolution of the knife 56.

The press 50 is driven by a shaft 68 and this shaft in turn is driven by means of gears 6|, 62, and a shaft 63. The shaft 83 may be driven by the-same motive power that operates the shaft 25 of the pump 23, the shaft 42 of the sprockets 4|, and the shaft 34 of the conveyor 32 and these various shafts are timed to maintain the proper speed-of the various instrumentalities during the operation of the apparatus.

A shaft 64 is located within the tank 51 and is supported in bearings 66, 81, and 68. A shaft 18 is driven by means of gears 1| and 12. The shaft is mounted in bearings 13 and the knife 56 is secured to the upper end of the shaft 10. A gear 14 is secured to the shaft 55 and this gear is revolved by means of a gearing arrangement (not shown) which is operated in turn by a unit power plant.

As the particles are formed by the cutting with the knife 56 when the asphalt is expressed from the screen 55, the asphalt passes through the liquid in the tank 51 and downwardly through a pipe 88 and the liquid and the asphalt is forced upwardly by means of a pump 8| through a pipe 82 over a screen 83.

A tank 84 is located beneath the discharge end 85 of the pipe 82 and the screen 83 is located below the discharge end 85 of the pipe 82 but at sufficient height above the tank 84 to permit the screen 83 to be inclined at an angle to the horizontal with the free end of the screen projecting beyond the side wall of the tank 84. As the particles of liquid and asphalt are discharged from the spout 85 of the pipe 82, the asphalt will be retained by the screen slide 83 while the liquid will pass through the screen into the tank 84. Since the screen 83 is located at an angle to the horizontal, the small particles of asphalt which are deposited thereon will move off the screen by gravity and be deposited in a pile for storage purposes as shown at 85. A pump 81 is connected by a pump 88 with a tank 84 and this pump withdraws the liquid from the tank 84 and forces it through a pipe 89 where the liquid is discharged through a spout 90 located above the open end of the tank 51.'

The operation of my device is as follows: The asphalt is placed in the still l8 and heated until it is in a .flowing condition whence it will pass through the pipe into the container I3. The weight of the melted asphalt will be sufficient to permit it to flow through the passages 8 in the bottom l1 of the container l3. It will be appreciated that if necessary any well known means may be employed in the container |3 for positively causing the asphalt to flow through the perforations in the bottom of the tank.

As the asphalt emerges from the perforations l8 it will fall upon the conically-shaped surface of the member H! and since water is being forced through the open end 2| of the pipe the strings of asphalt will not only pass downwardly over the surface in a separated manner but the water flowing from the pipe 20 will maintain the strings in a wet condition and water and the asphalt will fall into the liquid in the tank 24. The asphalt passing through the perforation I8 over the wet surface of the member l9 and falling into the liquid in the tank 24 will form a spongy mass which will float upon the surface of the liquid in the tank and be carried by the conveyor 40 upon the slide 45 whence the spongy mass is deposited in the casing 46 of the press 50.

The revolving press forces the asphalt downwardly and compacts it into the cylindrical portion 5| of the casing, thereby forcing all of the water out of the spongy mass while expressing the asphalt through the perforations in the screen 55.

The tank 51 contains a liquid at a level above the lower end of the cylindrical member 5| and above the revolving knife 56 so that the asphalt as it is expressed through the screen 55 will be cut off under the water to form particles which will remain in a divided state. These particles of asphalt settle to the bottom of the tank 51 and enter the pipe 80 so that the pump 8| will force the asphalt and liquid through the pipe 82 upon the screen 83. The water passes through the screen and the particles of asphalt roll downwardly upon the inclined surface and are discharged into a pile as indicated at 86. The water in the tanks 51 and 84 are maintained in circulation by the pump 81.

The pellets formed are of such a nature that they may be readily transported and they will not coalesce during transportation.

It is claimed:

1. A process for preparing particles of asphalt which comprises dividing melted asphalt, spraying the divided asphalt with a liquid, dropping the sprayed and divided asphalt into a body. of the liquid to form spongy masses of the asphalt, pressing the spongy asphalt through a screen to free the asphalt of water and forming strings of the asphalt, and cutting off said strings under water to provide particles.

2. A process for preparing particles of asphalt which comprises dividing melted asphalt, conducting the divided asphalt over a wet surface while maintaining a stream of water flowing over said surface, dropping the wet divided asphalt into a body of the water to form spongy masses of the asphalt, forcing the spongy masses through restricted passages to separate the water from the asphalt and to form strings of the asphalt, cutting off the strings to provide particles of the asphalt.

3. A process for preparing particles of asphalt which comprises dividing melted asphalt, conducting the divided asphalt over a wet surface while maintaining a stream of water flowing over said surface, dropping the wet divided asphalt into a body of the water to form spongy masses .of the asphalt, forcing the spongy masses through restricted passages to separate the water from the asphalt, and cutting off the asphalt under water as the asphalt is extruded from thepassages to form particles of the asphalt which will remain in a divided state.

4. A process for preparing particles of asphalt which comprises dividing melted asphalt, conducting the divided asphalt over an expanding path while forcing a liquid over the divided asphalt and expanding path, dropping the divided asphalt into a bath of the liquid to form spongy masses, removing the spongy masses from i the bath, forcing the spongy masses through restricted passages, cutting oif the expressed asphalt under water to form particles of the asphalt, and separating the particles of asphalt from the water, the particles remaining in a divided state.

5. A process for preparing particles of asphalt which comprises dividing melted asphalt in the presence of water to form a spongy mass, expressing the spongy mass through restricted passages while separating water from the spongy mass, and cutting off the asphalt into particles under water as the asphalt is expressed.

6. A process for preparing asphalt particles which comprises dividing melted asphalt into fine strings, separating the strings from each other, while moistening said strings, dropping the moistened strings into'a liquid to form spongy masses of asphalt, expressing the spongy masses through restricted passages to remove moisture from the asphalt and to form strings of asphalt and cutting off the strings under water to provide particles of the asphalt.

7. An apparatus for producing particles of asphalt that will remain in a state of division when stored comprising means for forming spongy masses of asphalt, means for expressing the spongy masses of asphalt through restricted passages, a tank filled with a liquid into which the expressed asphalt is projected, and means for cutting ofi the expressed asphalt in the liquid to provide particles.

' NAOMI W. DOWNARD, Administratrix of the Estate of James Shelby Downard, Deceased. 

